Zagreb is a vibrant city of around 800,000 people (metropolitan area: 1,200,000). The city boasts a charming medieval 'old city' with architecture and cobbled streets reminiscent of Vienna, Budapest, Prague and other Central-European capitals. In 2011 it was visited by over 700000 tourists, mainly from Austria, Germany and Italy. Enjoy the free WiFi available at the main square and around the national theater.

There are two bus links between the main airport (Zračna luka) and central Zagreb. The first is the coach operated by Croatia Airlines (but open to anyone) which runs between the airport and the main bus station (Autobusni kolodvor). Tickets cost 30 HRK each way and can be purchased on board. At the airport, the buses pick up at the bays indicated by signs reading "Public Transportation"; turn right when exiting the terminal and walk all the way down, past the taxi rank. The bus leaves the airport at 7AM and every thirty minutes between 8AM and 8PM. Between the last regular bus at 8PM and the first one at 7AM the next morning, there is a bus leaving for the bus station every time a Croatia Airlines plane lands. Full details are available in English from [101]. The buses are located at the edge (facing city center) of the bus station. You'll see "Croatia Airlines" and "Eurolines" written on that part of the building.

Alternatively, the ZET bus line 290 will take you into the city, from which point you can transfer to a number of tram and bus lines. Rather confusingly, the stop for line 290 is NOT at the bays signed "Public Transportation," but instead on the main road leading past the airport. Walk straight out from the terminal along the covered pavement; the stop for buses heading into the city is on the far side of the street. The terminus of the line is at Kvaternikov Trg; the bus stops for line 290 are on either side of Heinzelova Street at Rakovčeva street, a block south of the square itself. Since the airport is in a different fare zone from the city itself you will need two tickets (10 HRK each): validate the first one when you get on the bus, and the second one once you cross the bridge over the Sava River. Paper tickets and rechargeable farecards (Vrijednosna karta) can be purchased at the TISAK newsstand in the arrivals hall.

Zagreb airport transfer has tariffs, service details and you can make bookings.

If you are planning to spend a vacation holiday in Zagreb Croatia, you can make your trip more pleasant by using a reliable taxi shuttle agency for just one Euro per km.

Zagreb Central Station (Glavni kolodvor) is a railway hub which has direct services to major European cities such as Vienna (6 hours), Budapest, Zurich, Munich, Salzburg, Ljubljana, Sarajevo (one-way ticket costs 59BAM, return ticket 336 kuna as of 26 February 2016), Belgrade (return ticket 44 EUR, only one train a day) as well as domestic services to all major towns (except Dubrovnik). There is also an all-year-round overnight train (with sleeping compartments) between Zagreb and Split, costing 197 kuna which takes nine hours.

Rail travel times within Croatia have been made competitive with car travel in many instances with new 160 km/h “tilting trains” connecting Zagreb with Split and other major cities in Croatia such as Varaždin, Osijek and Požega. If you make a reservation early enough you can get a substantial discount.

Tourists coming from or going to neighbouring capitals should note the following EuroCity and InterCity railway lines:

Most services are operated by the Croatian Railways [102], whose schedules are also available on the internet in English.

The train ticket from Budapest for a single journey costs 29 €. For a round trip it's around 35 € and the ticket is open, valid for a month. The connection is direct and there is not many passengers on the train, so it's not needed to get a seat reservaton while buying the ticket (which costs extra). There are two direct trains a day: IC Agram and IC Rippl-Ronai. The tickets can be purchased in the ticket system of the Hungarian State Railways (MAV) [103] or at the international ticket counter at the train station. The tickets booked online have to be printed from a machine that is located at the station. The IC Rippl-Ronai train from Budapest to Zagreb consists of a Hungarian diner car, a Hungarian second class car without compartments, a Hungarian half-second and half-first class car with compartments and a Croatian second class car with compartments. The Croatian car is the most modern one and it has a single power outlet in each compartment. All of them are air-conditioned. In Gyekenyes (the last station in Hungary) there is a passport control carried out by the police officers on the board of the train. The locomotive is changed there as well. In Koprivnica (the first station in Croatia) there are three extra cars attached to the train. They are a domestic group of cars, going from Osijek to Rijeka.

Travellers coming from the west - Italy, as well as Rijeka or Istria - can use the A7 motorway (near and bypassing Rijeka), A6 motorway (Rijeka-Bosiljevo) and then the A1 (Bosiljevo-Zagreb).

Those travelling from Italy can bypass the expensive motorway toll in Slovenia by using the state route SS21 through Trieste, route E61 through Slovenia (in a bad shape) and then A7 south to Rijeka, then Rijeka bypass, then A6 east to Bosiljevo and A1 northeast to Zagreb.

Travellers heading from the south - Dalmatian coast (Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, ...) or from Montenegro - can use the A1 highway, often combined with the state roads D8 (by the coastline) and D1 (through the hinterland).

To use highways in Croatia you must pay a toll either in Croatian national currency, the Kuna, or in Euro. One may also pay by credit card- American Express, Diners, Master Card, Maestro or Visa cards. A third option is to use the HAC Smart Card, which can reduce the cost of travelling on the Croatian highways by 10-25%. It is issued by Hrvatske Autoceste [104], but pays off only if travelling more than 500 km (that's a return trip Zagreb-Zadar or Zagreb-Serbia) or 250 km for a seasonal Smart Card (a return trip Zagreb-Rijeka or two return trips to Zagreb from Austrian border). You can find a toll calculator here (click Calculator on the left navigation bar).

The central bus station (Autobusni Kolodvor) is located to the south-east of the railway station - approximately 10 minutes walk, or 3 stops by tram (lines 2 and 6). Timetable information and prices can be found on the AKZ website [105].

Zagreb has a well-developed and efficient public transport system that consists of trams, buses and trains. The tram network (route map [107]) operates 24 hours a day - from 4AM to 12AM there are 15 "day-time lines" (tram lines 1-9, 11-15 and 17), and from 12AM to 4AM there are 4 "night" lines (tram lines 31-34) which cover most of the day-time lines on a reduced (around 30-40 minute) frequency. Occasionally, buses replace trams on night lines. Tram line 3 does not operate Saturdays, Sundays and on public holidays.
There are maps of the tram lines on almost every stop, so if you know the nearest stop to your destination you can simply figure out the shortest trip while you're at the stop.

As for the buses, there are 113 day-time and 4 night lines. ZET buses cover the area outside the city center, as well as some neighboring towns that administratively belong to Zagreb county. The buses use the same ticketing system as the trams.

A historic funicular railway (uspinjača in Croatian), one of the steepest in the world, operates between the lower and upper towns. Monthly, daily as well as single tram/bus ticket can be used, otherwise there is a small fee for a ride.

The price of a single one-zone ticket valid for 1.5 hours is 10 Kunas (July 2017) when bought from a newspaper stand, ZET ticket office, or directly from the tram or bus driver. The ticket used during night schedule costs 15 Kunas (~2€). It can only be paid in local currency Kuna (currency exchange - mjenjačnica in Croatian) [108]. There is also a 24 hour ticket (dnevna karta) available at 30 Kuna (~ 4€) from newspaper stands such as TISAK or at ZET offices, 3 days ticket for 70 Kunas (~9,2€), 7 days ticket for 200 Kunas (~19,7€), 15 days ticket for 200 Kunas (~26,3€) and 30 days ticket for 400 Kunas (~52,5€) (July 2017). Buy a ticket and punch it (insert it) in the slot in the little yellow machine once you enter to validate. All single tickets are transfer tickets valid in multiple vehicles traveling in a single direction, so you won't need a new ticket when switching trams and/or buses so long as your ticket is still valid.

Zagreb's transit system works on a tariff zone system. Essentially, all of the area within Zagreb's city limits is in zone 1, while outlying towns and areas are in other zones. You will need to validate one ticket for each zone you travel in. In particular, the airport is in zone 2, so if you take the bus to/from the airport you'll need to validate another ticket when crossing the bridge over the Sava river that marks the border between the two zones. Consider a daily ticket if you will be going across zones.

If you plan on using the trams and buses frequently during your time in Zagreb, it may be more convenient to purchase a stored-value farecard, called a "Vrijednosna Karta." The cards can be purchased at ZET customer service outlets, as well as at most (if not all) of Zagreb's ubiquitous newsagents. At the airport, the card can be purchased and loaded at the TISAK newsagent in the arrivals hall. The card itself costs 10 kuna, and can be loaded and re-loaded as needed. When boarding the vehicle, look for a yellow box with an LCD screen; swiping your card on the reader below the screen will validate it for one 90-minute, single-zone ticket and deduct 10 kuna from your balance. Other options, such as two-zone tickets, daily tickets, 30-minute tickets, card balance checks, and purchasing tickets for several people at once are also available by selecting them on the validator's screen (an English-language display option is available).

Riding without a validated ticket is not advisable, due to a recent increase in the number of active ticket controllers.

Trains operated by Croatian Railways [109] (Hrvatske Željeznice) run every 15 minutes from east to west, connecting the suburbs of Zagreb with the central railway station. They are usually the quickest form of transport for those coming from the areas of Zagreb far from the railway station (Glavni kolodvor), or beyond the tram network.

Taxi Zagreb [110] is good and recomended taxi service which drive from/to airport and inter city drives.

Taxis are available at the Pleso (VG TAXI) International airport and their prices are ~50% higher. Taxis are obligated to have their taxi-meter on and you won't fare well if you try to bargain.

Avoid taxies that wait in front of the Main train station (Glavni kolodvor). As in most big European cities, unregistered taxi drivers now operate on several tourist locations or during weekends. You'll pay double or triple the price and even notifying the driver to turn on the taxi-meter won't result in a much lower bill.

Travelers who are staying for several days should consider buying the Zagreb Card [111]. The card offers unlimited travel on public transport in Zagreb, discounts at virtually all of the city's museums, reduced prices at many restaurants, shops, and service providers and many other concessions. It costs 90 kuna (approx. 12 euros) and is valid for 72 hours from the date and time entered on the card. Holders of the card also receive a special booklet with a list of all of the establishments and the discounts available to them. The card can be purchased at any of Zagreb's Tourist Information Centers and at the reception desks of the majority of Zagreb's hotels.

Gornji grad, (Upper Town) and Donji grad (Lower Town) are the cultural, religious, and commercial hubs of Zagreb. These are where most of the restaurants, bars and tourist sights are located. The Upper Town, which is the medieval core of the city, developed as two separate (and often warring) towns - Kaptol, the seat of the Bishop (where the imposing Cathedral now stands), and Gradec, the free town where tradesmen and artisans lived (proclaimed by King Bela of Hungary in the 12th century) merged in the 1770s to form the northern section of historic Zagreb. Following this, the city expanded south of today's Trg Bana Josipa Jelacica (Jelacic Square) to the railway station and the Sava River.

Old Town Gate, at the top of Radićeva street (Upper Town). now a shrine to virgin Mary - the "Kamenita vrata" where you can light a candle or place a vow and, as the locals believe, your wish will be granted. Please be silent and respectful, even if just passing through the Gate. The portrait of Mary is said to be sacred, because it is the only thing that survived the great fire in Zagreb in 1731. Near the Old Town Gate is the sculpture of St. George having slain the dragon. The other statue, him fighting the dragon, is located on the Marshal Tito's Square near the Croatian National Theatre.edit

Strossmayer šetalište. (eng. Strossmayer's walkway) In the summer, it is an outdoor scene for painters, musicians and other artists offering food, drinks, performances and concerts. Popular meeting place for all ages, with a great view of the Lower Town.edit

Cathedral - The first building was destroyed by the Tatars in 1242, then rebuilt some years later; in 1880 a severe earthquake destroyed it. The building you can visit today, was restored, after the earthquake, in the Neo-Gothic style.

Zagreb Crkva sv. Marka (St. Mark's Church)

Crkva sv. Marka (St. Mark's Church) One of the oldest buildings in Zagreb.

Serbian Orthodox Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord is located on Petar Preradović Square, near Bana Jelačića Square and Ilica Street. The current building was completed in 1866, and it is adorned with a beautiful XIX-century iconostasis and exquisitely ornate frescoes. There is a small store next to the church, where you can buy Orthodox books, icons and souvenirs.

Maksimir Park & Zagreb Zoo, (tram #7 if you are coming from the Central Bus Station or trams #11 and #12 from the main square or the #4 of your coming from the railway station). The biggest park in Zagreb. Great place to chill out, drink coffee, eat lunch (picnic or at the park's restaurant) or take nice long walks through the forest or by the small lakes. Good for joggers, cyclists, also child and dog friendly. Offers lake rowing. The 85-year old ZOO is located in the Maksimir Park.edit

Other city parks are connected in the "Lenuci Horseshoe", an unfinished project of combining small green squares and parks at the core of the center of the town.

Zrinjevac Park, (just south - east of the main square). the park of the Academy (connecting the Zrinjevac and Tomislav parks).edit

King Tomislav square, (south of Zrinjevac, just outside the main Train Station). edit

Botanical Gardens, (south of the K. Tomislav Square, near the Hotel Esplanade). edit

Jarun, (at the south part of the city. Tram #5 or #17), [1]. Jarun Lake is a recreational area based around a large lake where locals go to relax, exercise - and party! The centerpiece of the area is the actual lake itself, which is used for windsurfing and has a large rowing section with spectator stands. There are also shingle beaches surrounding the water, alongside which are several bars that get very busy during the weekends but are also nice for a sunny lunchtime snack. All the bars there are considered 'fancy' places and usually play commercial music.edit

Bundek. Hosts horticultural shows, firework festivals, workshops, concerts and music festivals (mostly during the summer). A great place for hanging out in nature, playing sports or having a barbecue.edit

Most museums and historical sights close at 1PM on Sundays and do not reopen until Tuesday.

Backo Mini Express, Gundulićeva 4, [2]. A large model railroad layout open for public, continuously being expanded and worked on.edit

Mimara Museum, Westin Hotel and Cibona Tower

Muzej Mimara (Mimara Museum), Trg Franklina Delanoa Roosevelta 5, ([email protected]). Tue-Wed,Fri-Sat 10am-5pm; Thu 10am-7pm; Sun 10am-2pm. Houses some 3,700 works of art donated by Ante Topić Mimara. The collection comprises more than 1,500 exhibits dating from the prehistoric period up to the 20th century. Some of the most famous exhibits include works by Lorenzetti, Raffaello, Giorgione, Veronese, Caravaggio, Canaletto, 60 paintings by the Dutch masters Rembrandt, Van Goyen, Ruisdael, 50 works by the Flemish masters Van der Weyden, Bosch, Rubens, Van Dyck, more than 30 by the Spanish masters Velasquez, Murillo, Goya, some 20 paintings by the German masters Holbein, Liebermann, Leibl, some 30 paintings by the English painters Gainsborough, Turner, Bonington and more than 120 paintings by the French masters Georges de la Tour, Boucher, Chardin, Delacroix, Corot, Manet, Renoir, Degas.edit

Archaeological Museum

Arheološki Muzej (Archaeological Museum), Trg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog 19, [3]. Possesses over 400,000 objects, not all of them being exhibited. The holdings include evidence of Croatian presence in this area as well as rare samples which have made the museum known to the whole world. The most famous are the Egyptian collection, the Zagreb mummy and bandages with the oldest Etruscan inscription in the world (Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis), as well as the numismatic collection. A part of the museum is set aside for the collection of stone monuments dating back predominantly to the Roman period.edit

Umjetnički Paviljon (Art Pavilion), Trg Kralja Tomislava 22, [6]. Designed by by famous Viennese designers of theatres in Central Europe Hellmer and Fellmer. A neo-classical exhibition complex and one of the landmarks of the city center. The exhibitions are also held in the impressive Meštrović pavillion on Trg žrtava fašizma. edit

Museum of Broken Relationships (Muzej prekinutih veza), Sv. Ćirila i Metoda 2, ☎+38514851021 ([email protected]), [9]. every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (from October till May), during summer time from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (from June till September). What remains after a break-up? Museum's permanent display is an opportunity to experience a unique emotional journey through dozens of love leftovers collected from all around the world. Museum is also the winner of Kenneth Hudson Award 2011 for the most innovative museum in Europe.Admission fee: 25kn. edit

People and Art House Lauba (Kuća za ljude i umjetnost Lauba), Prilaz baruna Filipovića 23a, [10]. Every day from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.. Presents works from the Filip Trade Collection, a large private collection of modern and contemporary Croatian art and current artistic production.edit

Mirogoj is the central cemetery of Zagreb. It was opened in 1876 north of the city center. The mortuary, the impressive and picturesque arcades with the church of Christ the King (architect H. Bollé, 1883-1914) make it one of the most impressive cemeteries in the world. Here stand the tombs of notable personalities (including that of basketball hero Drazen Petrovic) who are relevant to Croatian history. To arrive from the central square, go to the near-by Cathedral and take bus number 106 (Kaptol - Mirogoj - Krematorij). The ride takes approximately 10 minutes.
Note: the Croatian Day of the Dead is on November 1st. You may find the sight of hundreds of thousands of candles after nightfall impressive and worth seeing, but you may take note that on that day and a few preceding and following days the cemetery will be very busy and quite different from usual peaceful appearance; on those days buses to the cemetery are very frequent but crowded.

The imposing mountain overlooking Zagreb (Medvednica) contains a preserved fortress (Medvedgrad) and fascinating views of the city. Being respectful in the fort is a good idea, since it is the site of the Altar of the Homeland memorial, dedicated to Croatian soldiers who died in the Homeland war. There are several historical festivals during the year, including knights tournaments.

The gree jewel of a mountain Medvednica is over 1000m high covers a large area with many excellent hiking and biking routes. Since Zagreb is at roughly 120 m, it is quite a climb.

There are many small restaurants, mountain grills and cafes at the top of the mountain, open until early evening. In the early and late summer it can be crowded in places, especially on weekends.

It is possible to take the bus up to the top of Sljeme from Mihaljevac (last tram station of the line #14). This bus replaces the gondola, although there are allegations that this will eventually be rebuilt. The bus takes a circular route and comes back to the same place. It take about 30 minutes up, less coming down. Many other buses serve small villages at the foot of the mountain where the mountain paths start/stop. Altrernatively, you can walk from Mihaljevac or Šestine (take the bus from Britanski trg) to the top of Sljeme. It should take you between 1,5h (fast walking) and 2,5h.

Snow Queen Trophy: Ladies Night Slalom [112]: Zagreb is the only capital in the world that hosts a Ski World Cup race. The slalom event - known as the "Snow Queen Trophy" (Snjezna kraljica) - usually takes place in January. It is the most expensive race on the women's world cup tour and an exceptionally popular sporting event in Croatia that attracts a crowd of around 25 thousand people. As of 2007 best skiers in men's competition are also expected to compete on Mount Sljeme that overlooks the city. If you fail to secure your ticket, you can watch the whole event on a giant screen in the Ban Jelacic Square.

Escape Room Fun, Krvavi most 3, ☎+385 1 5810401, [11]. Enigmarium® Escape Room Escape in one hour - A unique 5D experience in the first escape game fully immersed in the local history of Zagreb awaits you. Full of incredible fun and unexpected twists. 60 minutes of fun; all year round.edit

Most English-language movies are subtitled, not dubbed; only children's movies are dubbed. A ticket will cost you 20-33 HRK (2,7-4,4€). About 30 HRK is the combined price of a medium popcorn and cola.

CineStar Zagreb, Branimirova 29; ticket reservation +385 1 46-86-600, [113]. A multiplex cinema (13 screens) in the vicinity of the Sheraton Hotel. The website is in Croatian, but can be understood using a Croatian-English online dictionary.

The University of Zagreb combined with the Croatian Heritage Foundation Matica Hrvatska offers comprehensive Croatian language courses for foreigners. The courses occur in the fall and spring semesters along with an intensive one month course in July. All courses cost around €600. More information can be found by visiting the University's website.

Many universities in Croatia accept a small group as international students every year, who stay in dorms and learn Croatian.

FER (Fakultet elektrotehnike i računarstva - Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing of the University in Zagreb) is a globally-appreciated school of computing science and electronics, accepting around ten international students a year.

There are also private language schools in Zagreb that offer language courses for small groups or individuals.

For creative types, Croatia is occupied by some street performers and many stands selling jewelery or other hand-crafted products, so the populace has an open mind to casually buying things from an interesting stand near the main square or dropping a few coins into a musician's case.

There are many small grocery stores around Croatia such as Konzum and Diona. There you can buy most necessary foods, hygiene products and items like cigarettes and alcohol.
If you have a more specific need (like appliances, cutlery) or wish to go bulk shopping then try one of the larger Konzums, Kaufland or Mercator.
Bread in Croatia is sold in numerous bakeries unsliced and is, due to a lack of additives such as chemical conservanses, generally inedible after the second day of life, so if you don't eat bread much then ask for half a loaf "pola".
Most brands that you likely know from home, like Nutella or M&M's, can be found in the larger stores but are rather expensive. Trying a domestic alternative or knock-off is not a bad idea.

Zagreb also has designated areas, the singular being a "plac", where you can buy and barter for clothes and shoes as well as perfume, chocolate and souvenirs. Illegally imported cigarettes are also often sold for cheap there (because of high importation taxes).

Oktogon passage

Oktogon passage at Ilica ulitsa 5, you can find many fashion shops.

Hrelić. A flea market at the outskirts of Zagreb taking place every Sunday from very early until around noon. You can find all sorts of new, used or stolen goods including very cheap clothes, electronics, books, accessories, all sorts of technical machines, woodwork, food and used cars.edit

There are many take out, pizza-cut, sandwich bars and fast foods arround the city. Most are located in the city center (main square - Ban Jelačić and surrounding blocks). There are also food chains such as the "McDonald's", "Daily Fresh", "Mlinar", "Pan Pek", and the preferred "Dubravica". Sandwich prices around the city varies from 10 to 20 kuna. You can also find many kebabs and pancake-to-go places. There are many good coffee shops, which do not serve food. Zagrebites seem to like to sit and linger over coffee, but eat on the go.

American Doughnut, Teslina street. A sandwich bar that also serves salads and deserts.edit

Sandwich Bar Pingvin, Nikole Tesle 10 (on one of the central streets, close to the Flower Square and Trg Ban Jelcica), ☎01 48 11 446. Classic sandwich bar with a wide menu and reasonably good mix of languages. One of the most popular dishes is the toplo/hladno (hot/cold), a grilled chicken and vegetables sandwich. edit

Restaurant Kvatric, Maksimirska 9, ☎+385 1 2330 070, [24]. Croatian restaurant with very nice food for a reasonable price. Has a nice terrance in the back garden. Close to tramstop 'Kvaternikov Trg'. edit

Vinodol, Teslina 10, ☎+385 148 11 443 ([email protected]), [25]. Resturant with Croatian cusine typical for the region with high quality to a fair price. The have very nice garden. Menu found on their web page. edit

Panino, Nova Ves 11 (Centar Kaptol), ☎+385 1 46 69 013, [26]. Nice little restaurant with great service and wonderful food. If you are into French and Istrian style food you will probably love this place.edit

Takenoko, Nova Ves 11, in Kaptol Centar Shopping Center (Centar Kaptol), ☎+385 1 48 60 530, [28]. Zagreb may not be synonymous with sushi restaurants, but this is one is superb. It is not cheap, but sushi they make is incredible.edit

Velika Klet Obitelji Bunčić, 20km from central Zagreb, ☎+385 1/ 2781-132 | 01/ 2781-133, [29]. A very popular place that offers Croatian cuisine, live music on weekends, a stable, fish pond and basketball courtyard.edit

Booksa, Martićeva 14d, [31]. A cafe/bookshop/library famous with local young intelectuals.edit

Cica, Tkalčićeva. Bar mostly known for its great and varied choice of the local schnappses (rakija). Interresting always changing, gallery-like interior. The whole bar is small but offers outdoor seating. Very popular and crowdy, brimming with young bussiness and student clientelle.edit

Krivi Put (Wrong Way), Savska 14. If you know that the wrong way is the only right way in life, stop by for a few drinks in this alternative bar full of happy people drinking cheap beer.edit

Mali Medo, Tkalčićeva. Offers a good choice of local beer and food. Indoors smoking prohibited. Has a terrace facing Tkalčićeva street.edit

Melin, Tkalčićeva. A cheap bar brimming with young people and students. Offers indoors, a roofed terraced leveled seating and an open terrace facing Tkalčićeva street. Known for crowds of people often drinking even around the bar, in the park and playground in front of it.edit

Oliver Twist, Tkalčićeva. A choice of good Irish beer with a great atmosphere. Big summer terrace in front.edit

Bar Plan B, Tkalčićeva 84, ☎014811285, [32]. A cafe/wine bar/sports bar. Attracts a mix of locals and tourists. You can expect music from every genre, and decade, from Jazz to Alternative/Indie.edit

Portal, Tkalčićeva. Next to Melin, offers same service, the Portal and Melin crowds often mix at the outdoors terraces.edit

Purgeraj, Park Ribnjak. A bar/club located in the Ribnjak park in the city center. Offers mostly rock, blues and alternative music. Daily happy hour when you get two drinks for the price of one. Sometimes hosts concerts. Popular with student crowd esp on Thursdays when it hosts the newly popular "take me out" evening offering a mix of indie and alternative music. In the summer, outside Purgeraj, in the Ribnjak park there are live concerts and various workshops offering summer fun under the name 'Park In Zagreb'.edit

Tolkien's House, Opatovina. A small fantasy cafe/bar for Tolkien lovers. Offers a variety of beers, cider and hot drinks.edit

Hostel Bureau, Vlaška 40 (From the Main Railway station: take tram No. 4 in direction Dubec and exit on the 4th stop (Draškovićeva), we are on the first street on the left (Vlaška) at number 40, from the Main Bus station: take the tram No. 6 and exit at the Main square, and just follow the signs to the Vlaška street (left to the Johan Franck cafe), we are at number 40), ☎+38515510517 ([email protected]), [42]. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 11:00. Brand new and modern hostel in very centre of Zagreb. Sleep in the ex offices which are today rooms with the view on Cathedral. Free wifi, free linens, free lockers, free towels, parking on spotdorms from 10 euro, private from 30 euro. edit

Dots Hostel, Palmoticeva 59 (Located near the Main Train Station), ☎+3851 4839 393 ([email protected]), [43]. checkin: 24/7; checkout: 11am. Good for those who do not like to share bathroom, you can meet people in their outdoor bar and common rooms. Close to the city center and all atractions.Private ensuite room: 18,5 EUR (140 kn). edit

Fulir Hostel Zagreb, [47]. 2 rooms, including a 12-bed dorm. Great place to meet people, but can be a wait to use the bathroom.edit

Funk Lounge, Ivana Rendića 28b (From main train station: Take a tram number 4 (direction Dubec), and get off on the 7th station (Masiceva). Continue along Maksimirska street until you see 'Dublin Pub' across the street on your left side, cross the street, the hostel is behind 'Dublin' on the right side in 15 story building. Entrance just by Mlinar bakery and hair stylist.), ☎+385 1 555 2707 ([email protected]) ([email protected]). checkin: from 1 p.m.; checkout: until 11 a.m.. dorm from: 13 euro, private from: 20 euro. edit

Hobo Bear Hostel, Meduliceva 4, [48]. checkin: 1400; checkout: 1100. A cozy hostel very near the town center. There is a basement hang out lounge with a TV, including cable and many DVDs, as well as free (fast) internet and computers. The staff is amazingly helpful and speak perfect English, the beds are comfortable and come with free linens and blankets, and there is also a well stocked kitchen facility. Dorm bed: 105 kuna. edit

Logistics Youth Centre, Jakuševečka 87, ☎00385 1 6626 035, [53]. Logistic youth center, also works as a regional information center. From the host, you can get complete information about everything that interests you. The space has 10 rooms, lobby with fireplace, dining room, kitchen and a cinema hall, where you can stream movies from your laptop. The most interesting part is the terrace with space for tents and 30 seats. Located further from downtown, but the center has its own bus which runs as needed. Parking for approximately 30 vehicles.edit

Ravnice Youth Hostel, I. Ravnice 38d, ☎00385 1 2332325, [54]. checkin: 1200; checkout: 1100. The family run Ravnice Youth Hostel is located in a quiet part of Zagreb, just a 10-minute tram ride from the city centre. Colourful and well-lit rooms offer free Wi-Fi, while forest-park Maksimir and zagreb ZOO are just a short walk away.The Ravnice Hostel provides a spacious garden fitted with table and chairs, as well as a barbecue. It offers table tennis facilities and possibility to organise bike rentals. A shared kitchen offers all the necessary kitchenware, a fridge, a stove and oven and a table. A furnished terrace overlooks the neighbourhood, while the colourful shared bathroom provides a shower. A common room with a TV and seating area, as well as a computer corner are at guests’ disposal. Free parking for cars. Dorm bed: 90 kuna. edit

Hostel Chaplin, Mihanovićeva 20, ☎ +38515805068 ([email protected]). Check in from: 1pm; check out: 11am. Hostel Chaplin is situated in the heart of Zagreb, perfect location for visiting and exploring the capital. It is located just across the street from the main train station, just a 4 tram stations from the main bus station, and short walking distance to all major tourist attractions. It is also very close to famous Hotel 'Esplanade' and Shopping center 'Importanne'. One of the highlights near by is famous garden “Botanički vrt” where is always possible to find shade and peaceful corner to relax. Room 1 = 5 beds; Room 2 = 6 beds (female dormitory); Room 3 = 6 beds, mixed; Room 4 = 7 beds, mixed (Chaplin dormitory). Prices: Room 1: 21 € / person; Room 2: 17 € / person; Room 3: 18 € / person; Room 4: 16 € / person.

Swanky Mint Hostel, Ilica 50 (Take tram number 6 from outside the station towards Crnomerec, tram stop is Frankopanska and it is one stop after the main square.), ☎+385 (01) 4004 248, [55]. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 11:00. The Swanky Mint is a renovated dry cleaning and textile-dye factory from the late 19th century. Combining the industrial machinery that littered the site with new technology, the Mint has created a comfortable eco-friendly atmosphere. Private rooms, separate apartments, bed and breakfast, dorm rooms big and small. Free, WiFi, linens, towels, lockers and traditional rakija welcome drink.20-25 Euro. edit

Zagreb Point Apartments, ☎+385 99 5622 485 ([email protected]), [56]. checkin: after 13:00; checkout: before 11:00. Lovely and cosy apartments in the centre of Zagreb. There are one bedroom and two bedroom apartments with private parking spaces. Apartments are from cosy 50m2 to luxurious 120m2 penthouse and can accommodate form 3 to 6 persons.1-bedroom apartments: €50-65; 2-bedroom apartments: €60-100. edit

Apartments Jadranka and Bella, Av. Marina Držića 15, Zagreb, Croatia (The apartment is located near the Zagreb main bus station), ☎+385 91 733 7206 ([email protected]), [59]. checkin: from 12.00(noon); checkout: until 10.00. Whether you are just passing through Zagreb or staying for a long time, you will be comfortably accommodated in our apartments. Additional benefit is the transport service to and from the airport at extra charge.Jadranka: 55€/night, Bella: 48€/night. edit

Hotel Phoenix, Sesvetska cesta 29 (in an eastern suburb of Zagreb - Sesvete. It is located some 500 meters from the motorway on the main road that leads from Zagreb to Dugo Selo.), ☎+385 1 20-06-333, [73]. 3-star hoteledit

Palace Hotel, J.J. Strossmayer Square, ☎+385 1 48-14-611, [74]. 4-star hotel. It was built in the Secession style in 1891 and converted into a hotel in 1905. The Arts Pavillion is 50 metres away.edit

Regent Esplanade Zagreb, Mihanovićeva 1 (just across the central railway station), ☎+385 1 45-66-666, [75]. Built in 1925 for passengers of the famous Orient Express train, which connected Paris and Istanbul. If you can, check the Emerald Ballroom with its soaring dome shaped roof. The hotel also includes the Zinfandel's Restaurant, Le Bistro and the Esplanade 1925, the hotel's lounge and cocktail bar.edit

Westin Zagreb, Kršnjavoga 1 (next to the Mimara Museum and the Croatian National Theatre), ☎+385 1 48-92-000, [77]. The hotel was renovated in 2004. It features the legendary Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Shower and probably offers the best view in the city.edit

Art Internet Caffee[117], Tkalčićeva 18, "Art" is an internet cafe bar, situated in the very center of Zagreb (Tkalčićeva 18), just a few steps from the Ban Jelačić square. In this modern and comfortable bar you can enjoy a fine selection of beverages as well as a large variety of computer services. Tel:+385 1 48 11 050. Open M-Su 08.00 - 23-00.

Aquarius net, Kralja Držislava 4.

Art Net Club, Preradovićeva 25.

KIC, Preradovićeva 5/1.

Klub SC,Savska 25.

Mama, Preradovićeva 18, is one of the coolest and cheapest cyber cafes in the city. They charge 10kn (1.36E) per hour or you can pay by the minute. Wireless connection, Skype, cool juices and coffee are available. The place is run by Multimedia institute [118], a nonprofit organization working in the fields of new media culture and digital technology, so there's chance of meeting some of the local and international cutting-edge artists or attending some interesting program.

As other cities in Croatia, Zagreb is very safe, but just as anywhere else dark alleys, parks during the night, etc. should generally be avoided, and common sense should be followed. The chance of getting in trouble in Zagreb is fairly low, especially in the city centre where the most of the hotels and restaurants are located. Tourists, who are in general respected and welcome, soon realise that Zagreb is way safer than the vast majority of other European capitals such as London, Paris, Vienna, Rome, Budapest, etc.

Pickpocketing isn't a particularly common occurrence in Zagreb, but you might be approached by beggars and similar people on the street - ignore them and they will go away.

Park Ribnjak, located very close to the city centre, is safe during daytime and worth visiting, especially for children. However, it has recently become a night-time meeting place of alternative youngsters, and subculture violence involving "skinheads" and similar violent young people has occasionally occurred. It's best to steer clear of Ribnjak after dark, which shouldn't be a problem because of a lack of interesting content for most tourists anyway.

Further, if you are going out at night (especially on weekends) steer clear of any drunk and rowdy groups of young people you might encounter in the street or night trams as random beatings have been known to occur. It is not uncommon for such groups to start unprovoked attacks on passersby, although they target mainly younger crowd and teenagers. These are not common but they do happen occasionally, so take precautions.

Avoid clubs which play what is known in Croatia as "Turbo-folk" music. These clubs are often featured in the local newspapers as violence erupts in them quite easily.

Also, avoid strip clubs at all costs. Zagreb is not famous for such clubs and they are rare, however most of them are often run by very shady characters, and often overcharge their guests. Recent cases include foreigners that were charged €2000 for a bottle of champagne. These clubs overcharge their customers to the extreme, and their bouncers will not have any mercy if you tell them you are unable to pay. You will soon find yourself in a local hospital. This not only applies to strip clubs in Zagreb, but also all over Croatia.

Croatian children start learning a foreign language in primary school, and for the majority it is English, so younger people can usually speak the language well enough, and many older people know some. You may also try German or Italian, as both are popular (for historical and cultural reasons).

It is also advisable to learn a some basic Croatian words and phrases - because Zagreb can be a vibrant, busy city, a few basic molim (please) or oprostite (excuse me) will go a long way to avoid being ignored by a busy local.

Samobor - a picturesque medieval town with well preserved old lore and long tourist tradition. 25 km west of Zagreb, accessible by bus (~30 min distance from Zagreb, ticket price ~25 HRK).

Vrbovec - a town for all who would like to see the typical way of Croatian life. 32 km northeast of Zagreb, accessible by bus.

Karlovac - a stunning town at the intersection of 4 rivers. 45 km southwest of Zagreb, accessible by bus.

Sisak - industrial town with rich history going back to the ancient Roman time. Easy accessible by bus or train (during workdays train leaves every hour or two, return ticket for ~55 HRK, departs from Central Railway Station and brings you straight into Sisak town centre). Noted for its medieval fortress (known for a museum depicting the battles against Ottoman Turks), red-brick arched bridge, ruins of ancient Roman town of Siscia, baroque-art noveau cathedral etc. It suffered from a depopulation wave after the war and democratization process, but nowadays getting more and more popular as a relatively cheap place to live with good transport ties to Zagreb.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!